We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erin Zhang a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Erin, thanks for joining us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I think the perception of happiness can be viewed quite differently for someone in the creative industry in comparison to one who has taken a traditional career path. As a full-time creative, I have to constantly remind myself that the lifestyle and career path I have chosen is relatively unconventional, and has many unique hardships that come with it. Job and financial insecurities are a freelancer’s worst nightmare, and a very realistic reality that forces many people out of having full creative control and freedom of what they hope to make of themselves. Because corporate careers are more financially fruitful, offer health and insurance benefits, and allow people to measure success in a more objective and tangible way, it feels discouraging and almost tantalizing to want to be a part of that world during slow seasons.

However, ultimately I love the constant practice of challenging myself on how to elevate my work with each new project, and I love the ability to have control in producing creative work that I can present to others as a way to best represent myself. People are able to receive a curated, physical representation of how I interpret the elements around me. Perhaps the instability and rush of accomplishment itself brings an experience of happiness that others cannot experience.

Erin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Erin, and I am a wardrobe stylist and fashion designer based in Los Angeles. I’m currently developing my own fluid menswear collective, called MIND ARCHES, launching later in 2024. Much of my work incorporates a synthesis of uncanny yet innovative design development, with an emphasis on my motto, “C.D.F.E.”, or “Creative Diligence for Evolution”. This is a commitment to the continuous engagement of all the necessary creative input needed for progressive evolution and deliberate incorporation in all my designs within the studio. As for my styling, I’ve worked in many areas of the industry like artists in music and entertainment, commercial branding, fashion lookbooks, and even personal wardrobe consultations with private clients.

Something more unique to myself in this industry is that I have a very heavy design background, and so I approach much of my styling techniques with clothing construction in mind. This also works vice versa in my design work where instead of designing pieces individually, I typically take into account a holistic stylization of what garments will look like when paired with other pieces of clothing. I like to incorporate design details that can be very intentional to how someone may style a garment, and try to design every piece with multi-purpose and flexible utility. I believe that clothes are not just clothing, but extensions of ourselves and can be interpreted in an unconventional way more than just covering our bodies.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My parents are a huge driving encouragement to my success and creative freedom. As a child of first-generation immigrants, I was given the ability to grow up in a society of opportunities, and for my parents to have struggled in a foreign country and still be supportive of my unpredictable career path is a huge privilege. I am forever grateful to have unconventional Asian parents who are supportive of the arts, and allow me to participate in a freelance structure of career path, something that they culturally still do not, and may not ever fully understand. I want to make their sacrifices and support fruitful, and be able to give back to them through my success as a creative.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think the most drastic career difference is the amount of time and money that is spent on your own craft as a creative. In most fields of work there is an expected dedication of time for the job. Whether it be a 9 to 5 or specific days of the week, those are often allocations of time that you can expect and plan around. However, for a lot of creatives we are constantly working 24/7. Cutthroat deadlines and taking on unrealistic, last minute jobs are existing weeding factors in the industry. In a lot of opportunities presented, the willingness you have to adapt and accommodate for projects can be both physically and mentally tolling, but the ability to deliver can set you apart from others.

Much of my work not only consists of the physical time that we are producing something on set, but can also be all of the prep and post-production responsibilities that we have to do as well. Even if I’m not working on a specific job or project at the time, much of my free time also revolves around a further expansion of my craft. This can include learning new sewing and pattern making techniques, or spending time to research new upcoming brands and how I can incorporate fresh fashion influences into my next project. It’s really a perpetual cycle of investing into yourself, influencing, and producing a better output for the next opportunity that comes your way.

In a way this mentality doesn’t always feel like work though, since it is something that I ultimately enjoy, and is really part of who I am. I think a lot of people like to get away or take a break from their jobs, or have a large emphasis on separation of themselves as people versus their careers, but for someone like me, this journey of being creative never really gets to be put on pause, but rather is continuously ongoing.

Contact Info:

• Website: erinbzhang.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akwardrhino/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/mind.arches/

Image Credits
Herbert Twins Photographer: 36neex Hair: Alexis De La Isla // Sean Christopher Fears MUA: Ashln⠀ Photo assist: Jamie Animoto Stylist: Me Concept Fused SS22 “EROSION” Creative Director:⁣⁣ Xans Chen Photographer:⁣⁣ Le3ay Studio Photography/Digital Assist:⁣⁣ David Jung MUA:⁣⁣ Vivienne Rao Stylist: Me Models: Chao Wei Jun // KHALÍ Erick the Architect Photographer/Stylist: Me Maximillian Photographer: Gianni Gallant Photo Assistant: Rafael Production: Star-Child Creatives⁣ Stylist: Me M@RKET x My Chemical Romance Collection Pt. 2 Producer:⁣⁣ Kam Casey Photographer:⁣⁣ Nevyn Matthews Videographer/Set Decorator:⁣⁣ Sala Johnson Gaffer/PA:⁣⁣ Sabra Binder Art Director: Alec Wiens Photo Assistant: ⁣⁣Andrew Hogan Stylist: Me BASTARDIZE Lookbook Creative Director/Producer/Designer: Me Photographer: Elinor Kry Gaffer: Kevin Chang Set Director: Suzy Schofield Set Dresser: Zoe Thomsonn HMUA: Erin Ashley // Breeze PA: Emily Lin // Ashley Yang Models: Joyce Ma, Lyena Kang, Antonio LaSanta, Tyson Wong, Fan Brandon Yun Photographer/Stylist/Designer: Me Yerahm Lee Photographer: Elinor Kry Designer: Me